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Jesus’ disciple Peter writes, “You are…God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” We have been made God’s own people for a purpose: to proclaim to the world the story of God’s incredible love. We do that in words, and we also do it in deeds of love and mercy.
Through Saints James and Andrew, you are involved in proclaiming God’s love in both word and deed. You proclaim God’s love in word as we gather weekly for worship, as we share our faith with the children and young people of the parish, and as we adults gather to study God’s word and support one another in life’s journey. You proclaim God’s love through deeds in our community as we feed the hungry at Second Helpings and support the dignity of those on our communities’ margins through ministries like Whitney’s Pantry and Emmaus Companions. You proclaim God’s love in deed across our country and around the world with your support of Church World Services and the United Thank Offering. Sometimes it is difficult to see all that our congregation is doing but make no mistake, because we have been “called out of darkness into his marvelous light,” you and the other people in the Saints James and Andrew family are making a difference— by proclaiming God’s mighty acts. Yours, The Clergy & Vestry of Saints James and Andrew Welcome to the first of a series of messages that are a part of our congregation’s “Because of God’s Great Mercy” stewardship program. Over the next few weeks, we are going to consider God’s great mercy and our response to that mercy through our financial support of Saints James and Andrew.
In Isaiah we read, “I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, because of all that the Lord has done for us, and the great favor to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.” God’s mercy comes to us in our Lord, Jesus Christ. God’s mercy also comes to us in many other ways. Among these are the material possessions we enjoy. They are gifts from God, but more than this, they are entrusted to us by God. The Bible teaches us that all that we have in this life comes from God. Our time, our talents, and our money and possessions all come from God, and in a very real sense still belong to God. In this life we are stewards, caretakers, managers of God’s incredible bounty. Through Jesus we are “God’s own people.” God has entrusted into our care all that we “have”. This good news is the beginning of our understanding that we are stewards. It is also the starting point of our thinking about our giving. When we give to Saints James and Andrew, we are giving some of what God has entrusted into our care to accomplish God’s work in the world. And through Saints James and Andrew, it accomplishes a lot. Yours, The Clergy & Vestry of Saints James and Andrew |
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Mission |
We believe God is calling us to cultivate a community of love, joy, hope, and healing. Jesus is our model for a life of faith, compassion, hospitality, and service. We strive to be affirming and accessible, welcoming and inclusive; we seek to promote reconciliation, exercise responsible stewardship, and embrace ancient traditions for modern lives.
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Office HoursMonday-Friday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Our church is open daily for you to rest, pray, be. |
Contact Information8 Church St. Greenfield, MA 01301
office@saintsjamesandandrew.org 413-773-3925 |
Service TimesSundays
8 a.m. Holy Eucharist 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist |
We Would Love to Have You Visit Soon! |